Defense Against the Dark Arts
by CakeByTheOcean
Summary: Merlin takes the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. He will have to try to blend in, keep the school safe, and stop what he suspects will be an incredibly disastrous event at the end of the year, all while continuing to wait for his King to return. Basically my take on what would happen if Merlin taught at Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Merlin had been waiting long enough. The time had come for him to interfere. He had stood by when Voldemort rose to power the first time, he had done nothing when a baby Harry Potter's life had been threatened, he had even ignored the fact that Voldemort had infiltrated his precious school by way of a stuttering teacher. But the time for silent observation had come and gone.

When the school had been formed, Merlin along with the four more well know founders had done everything in their power to ensure that it would be a safe place for students in the far future. But this Dark Lord was ruining the protection the school had offered in the past. It was just a matter of time before his plots and schemes actually found a way to take down the school and, afterwards, the entire wizarding world.

In the centuries he had lived, Merlin had watched over the world, especially his own kind, but now a new threat was presenting itself in Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. Though he didn't know what events would take place, he knew that they would end in the resurrection of Voldemort. Merlin swore he would not let this happen. To keep a closer eye on his beloved school and the young residents, he decided to break his tradition of watching and waiting and take a teaching position at Hogwarts. His wand magic was not nearly as powerful as his raw natural talent, but he knew enough to teach these students the art of defense.

Years had passed since the fall of Camelot and the death of Arthur, but Merlin always had hope that his return would be right around the corner. His King and greatest friend would rise again when the world most needed him. Perhaps that time was closer than even Merlin could imagine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello people! I am extremely new to writing fanfiction, so I'm sorry if it takes me a while to get the hang of things.**

 **Basically, I have read tons of Merlin and Harry potter crossover stories, but I have ideas of my own about how I want the story to turn out and what I want to happen. Everything that happened at the end of Merlin still happened, and the castle eventually became Hogwarts. I am just going to jump right in with Merlin's first day at the school and go from there. Yes, his alias will be Myrddin Emrys because it actually translates to Merlin in Welsh and I think that is awesome. Arthur will show up in this story, and maybe a few other merlin Characters, though maybe not how you would expect. Also, I'm not just going to repeat The Goblet of Fire word for word. That would be repetitive and I Don't want to steal from the amazing J.K. Rowling. The main events will stay the same, and the things I change will be obvious enough that it should be easy to follow.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or Harry Potter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Hogwarts. What a weird name for a castle that used to be the dwelling place of royalty. Merlin paced his office and thought back to all the things he had been through in this castle. Hiding in plain sight for all those years and then finally being able to show his true nature, only for him to lose his best friend and find doomed to immortality until Arthur returned. It hadn't been so bad. Living forever was bearable after the first few hundred years. He of course had to outlive his loved ones and accept that relationships of any kind were out of the question, but Merlin liked being alone and he learned to adapt to the changing world.

He had seen some amazing things, but also some terrible things. He had witnessed the creation of grand civilizations and empire, and he had watched them fall. Of course he helped where he could, even fighting in some wars with his magic to help, but in the end, one warlock couldn't change the path the world had set itself on. Magic, while free and accepted for a time in Camelot, was slowly shunned and persecuted once more. Merlin had assisted the founders of Hogwarts in building the school to keep the children, who sometimes had no control over their magic, safe. But now, magic as a whole was forced to be kept secret from the outside world.

Merlin broke from his thoughts and grabbed his scarf from its place on the chair. He had never really like the fact that clothes and fashion kept changing with the times, so he found himself just updating the same style he had always had with modern fabrics to blend in. The past few decades, he had chosen to wear dark jeans, a blue shirt, tan jacket and of course a bright red scarf to replace his neckerchief from long ago. He still kept most of his belongs, including said neckerchief, in his possession to remind him of home.

Speaking of home, he had no idea when he accepted the job of DADA teacher that the classroom would in fact be his old home. The classroom being his mentor's old workshop and his office at the top of the short staircase was his old room. They were modernized and slightly expanded, but the general layout was extremely similar.

Merlin put his jacket around his shoulders and straightened the scarf to look more presentable. The start of term feast was about to take place. Merlin was looking forward to the sorting ceremony, getting his first impression of the kids he would be teaching, and of course the food that was sure to be incredible. He strolled out of his office, through the halls, and eventually found himself seated at the staff table looking out over a sea of faces.

The sorting was swift, the students were excited, and Professor Dumbledore, a man Merlin had a certain admiration for, was standing up to give his speech. Dumbledore had seemed hesitant at first to hire Merlin. It was as if he saw through all the lies and the past Merlin had invented for himself. But even with his obvious doubts, the man had given Merlin the job with a silent but obvious promise to keep a close eye on him

"Welcome students," Dumbledore began, "To a new and exciting year at Hogwarts…" He continued on through his usual speech about forbidden corridors, reminders from Filch and finally came to the introductions. "I would like to introduce the newest member of our staff Mr. Myrddin Emrys. He will be taking over the role of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Merlin blushed and gave a small wave. Of course he was excited, but he was also nervous. He knew something big was coming and he needed everyone here on his side when it did. Let the good impressions begin.

He didn't keep the attention for long. Dumbledore went directly into the most amazing announcement of the evening. "Student. This year, Hogwarts has the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the next few months. The Triwizard Tournament."

Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd of students. Mixed reactions of fear and anticipation showed themselves as Dumbledore continued. "I have been told by our own Mr. Crouch and Mr. Moody, our contest officials, that only students over seventeen years of age may enter the tournament." Excited reactions turned to angry outbursts by underage students. Including two very devastated ginger twins at the Gryffindor table. "Students please. This contest is not to be taken lightly. Three champions will be chosen from the participating schools. These champions will go through a series of tests that will be highly dangerous for those not prepared. Students wishing to enter the contest, and who are of appropriate age, will put their names into the Goblet of Fire." With his final words, the cup was revealed.

Gasps echoed through the Great hall.

* * *

At the Gryffindor table, three very observant and curious students were discussing the revelations of the past few minutes. Ron was upset about the age limit on the tournament, while Hermione was almost happy about the restriction. Harry was of course interested about the tournament, but he couldn't help wondering about this young, dark-haired new teacher who kept glancing his way. He decided to steer his friends' conversation towards Professor Emrys.

"He does look a bit young to be teaching doesn't he?" asked Hermione.

"A bit," Ron Replied, "But I'd be worried about him anyway. Doesn't he know that job is cursed?"

"Just because we haven't been able to keep a DADA teacher for more than a year, doesn't mean the job's cursed" Harry answered. "But I guess we'll see how long it lasts. I just hope he isn't a stuck up prat like Lockhart was."

"Yeah, maybe something else will go wrong, like him turning into a ravenous wolf during the full moon, or carrying the world's most dangerous dark wizard on the back of his head." Hermione added sarcastically.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Harry added.

Their wonderings were interrupted as Dumbledore introduced the two schools that would share the school this year for the tournament…

* * *

Merlin looked down on the students from his place at the staff table as Dumbledore finished his announcements. He glanced several times at Harry Potter. A boy he had heard a great deal about and would almost certainly have something to do with the doom he sensed the end of the year would bring. Not to mention this apparently extremely dangerous tournament. This would be a very interesting year indeed.

Walking back to his room after the excitement of the feast, Merlin tried his hardest to avoid the portraits on the wall. Sure, they were mostly new and not interested in the people who passed by, but that was not a chance he was willing to take. There were a few paintings that had somehow survived long enough that they would be able to recognize Merlin. He pulled his scarf up around his ears and tried his best to look interested in the floor.

The news of this tournament only solidified his belief that something big and not very nice was in the works at the school. He would have to keep a careful eye on the events, the staff, and of course the students.

Finally, back in his room, Merlin relaxed, but only slightly. If tonight was any indicator of what the upcoming school year would bring, there was sure to be some great things happening. Terrible, yes terrible. But Great.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Got another chapter for you! I'm not going to make any promises about when I will update, because I don't want to have to make up excuses when I miss those deadlines. But, when I do update, I really appreciate the reviews, favorites, and follows. Thank you so much for showing an interest in what I'm writing! If you have any thoughts or suggestions feel free to let me know!**

 **Also, just a warning, I love Harry Potter and Merlin, but my story will not follow in the footsteps of either of those plots. I try to make things similar and recognizable, but this is called fiction for a reason. The same basic story lines will be kept in place with minor differences or made up facts thrown in. While I'm at it... DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or Merlin. I just really appreciate the characters.**

 **So! First day of class! Let's see what Merlin decides to throw at his unsuspecting students...**

* * *

The first day of class came in a flash. Harry and his best friends had Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts that morning with the Slytherins. What a perfectly awful way to start the year. Of course Snape's teaching dragged on and made no sense to two of the three friends, but when it was finally over they made their way to the next classroom, not knowing quite what to expect.

The students filed into class. Some looked extremely tired like they had stayed up late into the night, and some bright-eyed and ready to start the year off right. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together in the third row. Close enough for Hermione to be near the front, but far enough back that Harry and Ron could melt into the sea of students.

Professor Emrys sat behind an intricate wooden desk at the front of the class reading a fairly large book. One that could rival Hermione's "light reading."

He had decorated the room in a manor the students were not quite used to. Different from the dark and mysterious ways of past teachers, he tried to brighten the room and make it inviting. Heavy red drapes framed the windows which were open to allow natural light and a refreshing breeze into the room. Gold picture frames and ancient wooden pieces of furniture were scattered about the room, filling every square inch where there were no desks.

Hermione noticed the pictures were only landscapes. There were no figures in them whatsoever. In fact, nothing personal of any kind could be found in this professor's classroom. There were no indicators of where he was from and no portraits at all. Of to one side of the room, opposite the windows, a massive line of bookshelves hid the stone wall completely. Hundreds of books lined a majority of the shelves, while the rest were filled with vials and jars filled with who knows what.

Hermione very much wanted to look over the conglomeration of books, but before she could, the professor closed his tome and stood to address the class. Chattering Gryffindors and Slytherins immediately fell silent.

There was something about this professor that Hermione could not quite put her finger on. He was extremely tall skinny with long gangly limbs, his raven hair and piercing blue eyes contrasted dramatically with his pale skin, and his ridiculously large ears and giant red scarf completed the awkward look quite nicely. But despite the fact that he looked no more than 23 years old and his thin frame made it look like a breath of wind could topple him, his presence demanded attention and respect. Something about him made him seem special. It was as if the very air in the room whispered that this man had been through more than could be imagined and deserved to be taken seriously.

Of course this diminished the minute he started speaking.

"Erm… Hi." He started awkwardly. "I'm professor Emrys, but I guess you probably knew that since Dumbledore told you last night and all…" He trailed off and scratched his head as if he needed to shake loose the words before he could speak them.

He took a breath in, exhaled it, and started again with a little more confidence. "I want us all to get to know each other just a bit more, so I thought we could go around the room and introduce ourselves."

The majority of the class groaned at this.

"Calm down everyone. Saying your name and a little about yourself will not hurt you. I doubt you know everyone here in this room and you might need to rely on them someday. Keep in mind that the best defense you have are your friends and allies. You all need to broaden your scope of friends and you'll find people you can trust in the most unusual places. Who wants to start us off?"

Well Hermione couldn't argue with that. In fact, she very much agreed with the friendship policy as did several students around her. She stood up and started the string of students.

Several people were keen on the idea of talking about themselves, but others were extremely shy and reserved about the whole thing at first.

It was a weird experience learning things about people that you wouldn't normally know. For instance, one of the Slytherin boys, a muggle born, was actually the son of a rather famous muggle movie star. Another surprise came in the form of a shy Gryffindor girl who was apparently home schooled for the first three years of her magical instruction and had only just been asked to Hogwarts. It only got more strange from there.

People started sharing things that no one normally would ask about. It was kind of freeing but at the same time frightening. Like something about the setting and atmosphere in the classroom made everyone feel safe and secure enough to spill something they had been holding on to. People just kept going deeper and deeper.

Hermione shared that being from a muggle family she felt the need to work twice as hard as everyone else. As if her eleven years away from the magical world made her ill prepared for the subjects and students at Hogwarts. She felt she needed to overcompensate for her years of ignorance about magic.

Ron was just the opposite. He came from a long line of vastly different, but entire successful brothers. This made him feel as if everything he did was somehow not good enough, so he mostly didn't try. He didn't mind being mediocre because he had so much to live up to that it seemed pointless to try. Occasionally a new route to greatness would present itself, like the Triwizard Tournament, that would give him something to strive for, but when it came to daily matters his friendships were the thing he worked at more than his school work.

Even Draco, who was more ashamed than anyone to speak, shared how he could never do anything good enough for his father. Everything fell short somehow and he was sick of being looked down upon.

And finally it was Harry's turn. He stood up, weirded out by this whole secret spilling circle he found himself a part of, and said "I don't know why people expect so much from me. People look at me as Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, not Harry Potter, the teenager who just wants to fit in. People assume that I've got a great future ahead of me because of my past. But I'm just a person and, to be honest, not that great of a wizard. I don't even know what I'm doing half of the time."

With that, silence fell.

Harry was the last student to speak and a sort of calm fell over the classroom. People started looking around wondering what in the world just happened. Why the heck did they just spill all those secrets about themselves? Why did they share those deep thoughts with classmates and complete strangers?

Students around the class started blushing as they realized what had happened and the silence thickened until you could cut it with a knife.

Finally, Professor Emrys spoke. "What you all just experienced, was a rather rare, but very effective spell cast just moments before you arrived. Many people assume it is a truth spell, but in fact it is quite different. This spell is extremely useful if used properly, but disastrous if you are on the receiving end and don't know how to deal with it. It makes those affected exceedingly comfortable with the people to which they are speaking. Comfortable enough to share secrets, yes, but much more than that. It makes the affected person WANT to share what is on their heart. Lovely for psychiatrists."

"So It's like a truth serum?" Hermione asked.

"No. I'm pretty sure it is illegal to use truth serum on students." Merlin said, not sure at all.

Draco stood up in outrage. "But you still enchanted us!"

"Well, when you put it like that it seems a bit harsh," Merlin said "What I really did was allow you to experience a spell that could be used against you in the future. For example, if a certain dark wizard was attempting to make you sympathetic to his cause. Hint hint, wink wink…. Also, I have taught you all a very important lesson about humanity. There is no possible excuse for judgement of another person. You all had preconceived notions about the people sitting around you, but I hope today you've learned something deeper. There are billions of people on this planet and to assume you know what is going on in their life or what their intentions or circumstances might be is extremely foolish. No one can possibly know all the facts about any situation and jumping to conclusions will only land you with no friends to rely on. Trust me, I know. This goes back to my point about gaining allies, which I hope you have all done today. Any questions about today's lesson?"

There was a pause while the message sank in. Students looked thoughtful as they attempted to process the nugget of wisdom that had been thrown at them unexpectedly. A normal "get to know you" session had turned into a drawn out lesson on defense and human decency. This professor was turning out much different than anyone expected.

Dean raised his hand after a moment "So, you used the spell on us (still weird by the way), but how do we use it? And how do we defend ourselves from it?"

"Good question. One that will be answered when we meet again. Thank you class, and I will see you all next time." With that, Merlin started to return to his seat behind the desk and was about to open the book from beginning of class.

Students started shuffling and gathering their things, but before anyone could leave, Hermione asked another question. One that everyone was quick to tune in to. "Professor, you had all of us get to know each other, which I found extremely enjoyable and very educational, but what about you? Can you tell us more about yourself? After all, shouldn't a teacher be at the top of our list of perspective allies?"

Every eye turned to Merlin expectantly. He of course knew he couldn't reveal anything about himself. But they deserved something from him or else the questions and speculations would be way too much to handle. He wracked his brain for something, anything, to tell them that wouldn't raise suspicion.

"I am an only child. Half-blood. My mother was a muggle and my father a sorcerer. I grew up in a very secluded place, but finally found my way in the world when I met my best friend. I worked for him for a time, which was quite an adventure, but eventually the arrangement ended. He was a prat after all." Merlin smiled down at his boots with that sentence. Then he looked up and continued "I wandered on my own for a long time after that and finally settled with teaching. Now I get to spend a whole year living back in this extraordinary castle with some incredible teachers and bright young minds like yours."

"But..."

"That will be all class, we will continue when I see you next. Have a good day!" With that Merlin grabbed his book and turned back to his office before anyone else could ask him about the answer he had given. After all, it wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth. At least he was used to that by now…


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok! Chapter 3 is here! I hope since it's a tad longer, you guys will forgive the wait. I just wanted to say THANK YOU! Thank you so much for reviewing, favoriting, following, and keeping me motivated to write. Especially _Ritz_ who said my story was "Effing Amazing." That made my day:)You guys have no idea how much feedback means to me. I really appreciate any comments, suggestions or ideas you want to give me.**

 **Now on to the story. DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or Merlin...**

* * *

For the next few weeks, the talk and rumors about Professor Emrys drowned out everything going on in the school, including the Triwizard Tournament. His lessons made less and less sense as the weeks went by. Students did not know what to make of him. When asked if he was a good professor, most of his pupils would stand in silence for a moment, scratch their heads, and leave without answering the question. He was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma, which was driving a certain Golden Trio mad.

Harry could not make up his mind. He was probably the most confusing man Harry had ever talked to which was saying something after the VERY weird three years he had already spent at Hogwarts.

"I wish he would just be straightforward with things," Ron said one night in the common room when the subject came up. "He always has a roundabout path to get to his point. It makes my head spin"

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "But sometimes the point I think he's trying to make, doesn't turn out to be the real lesson. Remember last week when his lesson on shield charms started with how to make spells go unnoticed? Why would we ever need to hide the fact that we're making a shield? And what in the world did rats have to do with preventing the death of Unicorns? I just don't understand him sometimes."

"You're telling me mate, and why does he insist on saying "rise and shine" every single morning we have his class?" Ron speculated.

Hermione finally jumped into the conversation. "I wish we could find out more about him. I think he's completely brilliant, but I do agree that I don't know what half of his lessons have to do with each other. He doesn't follow any sort of curriculum or textbook. Sometimes I think he makes it up as he goes along."

She didn't know just how right she was.

* * *

Merlin, who had finished his classes and his nightly feast, was on a mission. This whole tournament had taken a backseat when it came to his classes, but with the champions being selected tomorrow evening at the feast, he thought he should do some investigating. He had done this before, watching anyone suspicious. He knew that whatever disaster the end of the year held would start in the castle and he needed to figure out who would be involved. The tournament officials, Crouch and Moody, were always dropping in or creeping about. He didn't trust them at all. And this Goblet of Fire seemed like a bad idea to him, not to mention the rest of the tournament.

Muttering an invisibility spell, Merlin walked confidently down the hall knowing students should be in bed by know. He roamed the corridors until he came to a small classroom in a secluded corridor where he could hear voices.

He carefully turned the knob on the ancient door, attempting to be as silent as possible. Instantly, he saw something that made no sense. There was only one person in this room. Alastor Moody. He was seated away from the door, but his silhouette was unmistakable. He was talking, or at least it seemed like it, to the fireplace. Merlin was beginning to understand why they called him mad, when to his interest, the fireplace talked back. He pricked his ears up trying to make out what was being said.

"… Everything going according to plan, my servant?" The fireplace asked with a whispery voice.

"Yes my lord. The Champions will be selected, and he will be one of them. I've made certain of that."

"Well done. And is anyone suspicious?"

"No one. Although, there is a certain professor, Emrys they call him, who keeps creeping around here. He is virtually silent and likes to show up when anything important is happening. I think he may be a bit of a problem later on." Moody speculated.

"Speaking of problems, I think we are being overheard." The voice hissed.

Moody jumped up and swiveled around, but by the time he had, the door was shut once more and Merlin was halfway down the hallway, invisibly fuming about traitors and people's loyalties.

* * *

"Rise and shine!" Merlin shouted to his sleepy students the next morning. "You all are too young to look so stressful."

Hermione thought this odd seeing as he was only a few years older than most of them, but looked as if he held the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders or something. He also looked like he hadn't slept at all the previous night, but that didn't hinder his cheery mood as he started class.

"Tonight as you all know, the Triwizard champions will be chosen. Of course you all are too young to participate, but it's exciting all the same. And a great teaching opportunity. As the trials go on, we will discuss in depth what the best way to tackle each individual task, and what each champion could have done differently. But that's all in the future since we have no idea who those champions are much less the challenges they will face. What we are going to do, is have a de-stress session for those of you who are finding yourselves bogged down by all the work required of you. First things first. Everyone stand up."

Everyone stood, not quite sure what was going on and what "de-stress" meant to their eccentric professor. Suddenly, almost before the professor had his wand up, all the chairs and desks found themselves shoved in a corner and stacked on top of each other in a way that Dr. Seuss would be proud of. The students looked around in shock for a moment before looking back at the man responsible with curiosity.

"Alright everyone!" he said moving to the center of the now empty room. "Gather around me in a circle."

The entire class, now wide awake, gathered around him in giant circle expectantly. But what came out of his mouth next was something nobody could have predicted.

"Has anyone ever heard of a game called Duck Duck Goose?" He asked with a grin that stretched from one enormous ear to the other.

The class sat in silence for an extremely awkward moment before Hermione shyly raised her hand.

"Ah, yes. Mrs. Granger. Would you please explain the game to us?"

Hermione could not believe this. They were fourth year students in one of the most dangerous eras in Hogwarts history, and they were going to play a muggle children's game?

"Erm. Well. We all sit in a circle, not unlike this one, and um, one person is it. They make their way around in a circle tapping people's heads and saying duck as they go. And uh, when they finally say goose instead of duck, the person who's head they tapped must chase them around the circle until the person is caught or makes it back to the empty space" Hermione finished, blushing and thoroughly embarrassed.

"Exactly!" Professor Emrys shouted, enjoying himself way too much. "I couldn't have explained it any better myself. Ten points to Gryffindor, for Mrs. Granger's knowledge of our muggle friends, and having the courage to share that knowledge. You never know when the tiniest piece of information will come in handy."

Hermione blushed as he started explaining what would be happening. He had everyone sit down with legs crossed, ready to jump up at any moment. He then stepped out of the circle of students and said, "Now. Let's give this a try shall we? I'll be it. This will be a practice round."

With that he started around the circle, tapping student's heads and saying "Duck" in a rather giddy manor before finally shouting "GOOSE!" over the head of an unsuspecting Seamus. He quickly jumped up and chased his lanky professor around the circle. Merlin was much to agile for him however, and made it back to his spot without any trouble.

Students began cracking smiles and giggling as their professor all but rubbed his victory in Seamus's face. "And that's how it's done folks! Everyone understand? Good. Now, before you start Seamus, we've got to make this more interesting. So, you may use any jinx or shield we have learned in the last few weeks to disable your opponent or defend yourself. No permanent damage please, Madame Pomfrey scares me, and I would prefer not to have to take anyone to see her."

What followed next was a long and exciting hour of students chasing each other down, jinxes being thrown around, hasty shields being held up, and students tripping and falling on their faces constantly. There wasn't a dull moment. With each new "goose" there was a spell most people had forgotten about or a new technique that no one had tried before. Cheers arose as people made it back successfully or when people were caught. Poor Neville was it for about four rounds before he finally picked someone he could catch up with.

The whole time, the students watched their professor with the face of a twelve-year-old encourage his students, suggest new methods, or chase people around the room himself. The entire time, there was laughter radiating from him, and the rest of the room along with him. His happy mood was infectious. Soon there were no worries too important to not have fun in this short moment of relief. Cares melted away and students immersed themselves into their children's game. Each round getting more and more exciting and competitive.

Finally, as Hermione beat Luna Lovegood back to her spot, their crazy professor finally stood up and waved his hands for the game to be over.

"Well done everyone! That was probably the most epic game of duck duck goose that humanity has ever seen. Congratulations! Now, can anyone tell me what the point of that hour of silliness was?"

Students shifted nervously in their seats on the floor. They hadn't realized that this random game had a point.

"Ok then, "Merlin said, "It was to help with your stress, yes. But in case you all didn't notice, you all just used knowledge you have gained over the last few weeks to defeat your opponents. Sure, no one was hurt, but you all used several good spells while concentrating on other things, like finding your spot, not being overrun, or catching up to your opponent. This is crucial when in an actual fighting situation. You can't just stand still, cast your spell and go home. Your brain and your body need to be working alongside with your magic, not against it. This is basically the real life application of what we professors try to teach you. The true use of defensive spells. Also, this was a perfect review for the exam we will have next week over all this material."

Surprisingly, there were fewer groans throughout the room than would have been expected for the usually under-prepared students. This hour long review session had them all feeling pretty confident.

"Now on to the most important part of today's lesson." Merlin continued. He raised his wand once again and a giant tray, big enough to fill in the circle of seated students, situated itself on the floor. Around the edge of the tray were steaming mugs of sweet smelling liquid. One for each student. They were surprised to say the least, and even more so when they lifted individual cups to their lips and found that they were filled with each student's favorite kind of tea.

"Alright, time for questions."

Students comfortably asked questions about the spells, the game, and the upcoming test. They were all comfortable and calmly sipping on tea. It was the perfect end to and extremely fun class. Most of them had made up their mind that this energetic professor was alright after all.

Finally, class was over and students filed out the door relaxed and renewed.

Merlin, however called Harry back before he could reach the door. Curious, Harry approached the giant desk. Hermione and Ron held back as well, waiting for their friend by the door.

"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked.

"I just had a quick question for you Harry. Did you enter your name into the goblet of fire?"

Harry was taken by surprise. "Um, no sir. I didn't. I'm not old enough, remember?"

Merlin looked at him skeptically, but said, "Of course, how stupid of me. I forgot about the age limit for a moment. Alright. I was just curious. I'll see you all at the feast." With that, Merlin grinned again and Harry turned to leave.

"Oh and Harry," he said as harry caught up to his friends at the door, "Be careful."

With that ominous warning, the three students left the classroom leaving Merlin to wonder what was going on. Moody was obviously not to be trusted, the games were rigged, and he didn't know the best way to help. He couldn't just accuse a Ministry official without some sort of proof, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. As long as Moody was around, he had someone to spy on.

Merlin was still pondering what do that night at the feast. He silently ate his meal and glanced at Harry every once in a while, as if to make sure he was still there. Then, before he knew it, the champions were being chosen. Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour, Cedric Digory, and to everyone's surprise, except Merlin and Moody, the fourth champion was Harry Potter _. Hold on to your hats everyone,_ Merlin thought to himself. _This is where it gets complicated_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey Guys! Sorry for not updating for a while. Thanksgiving break and all that. I also have finals coming up, so cut me some slack in the next few weeks:D**

 **Thank you guys so much for all the lovely reviews! I still go back and read then occasionally when I need some inspiration:) I tried to respond to a few of them this time around(Since apparently that's a thing). I would be eternally grateful if you could leave a review on this chapter as well! Let me know how I'm doing, if I should continue, and what you guys want to see next!**

 **Happy Reading! And before you ask, I do not own Harry Potter or Merlin...**

* * *

As the uproar and shock from Harry being chosen as a Triwizard champion died down, the list of questions in Harry's mind, did not. Who put his name in the goblet? Why did the "fool proof" age limit not apply to him? And most importantly, why the heck had Professor Emrys asked him about his name being entered before it had even happened?

All these questions with no answers.

Weeks went by, and the first task was right around the corner. Harry had no idea what it might be.

Ron was angry at him for his own childish reasons and the rest of the school had sided with Cedric Digory, leaving Harry with only Hermione to confide in. He hadn't had a chance in the midst of all the crazy to talk with his eccentric professor about what had happened before his name was drawn, but today his curiosity had reached its limits. He had to know why Professor Emrys had asked him that cryptic question before that awful night.

Harry wandered through the halls and finally approached the classroom. He walked in, scanning the space for the scrawny professor. The room was dark and empty, but there was a flickering light coming from underneath the office doorway.

Harry quietly approached the door. Once again, his curiosity got the better of him and he paused to listen to the muffled voice he heard from inside the room.

"…Is going to happen soon. I still have no idea exactly when, or what is going to happen, but every day the nagging feeling gets a bit stronger. I still don't know how I'm going to handle the situation. Should I utilize stealth and surprise? Or should I take the badass sorcerer route and just tell people the truth? I've been pretty good at blending in so far, but I still don't feel confident. I guess I'll just take it day by day until something extreme happens. I just wish Arthur or that ridiculously cryptic dragon were still here to give me some advice. Oh well, no point in dwelling on the past. Speaking of dwelling, I think someone is standing outside my door."

Harry knocked right as the door swung open. His heart sank, thinking he was about to face an angry professor, but to his surprise, Emrys was just standing by the window and smiling. Across the room, at his desk, a quill lay across an open journal, as if it had just fallen there.

"Erm… Sorry to disturb you Professor, I didn't mean to interrupt you or anything." Harry said quickly and timidly.

"Not a disturbance at all Harry, I hope you haven't been standing there for long."

Merlin smiled again, trying to calm his heartbeat down. What if Harry had heard him talking about Arthur? Would he be able to put it together? He could just imagine what Arthur would say to that. _This is what you get for being lazy Merlin! You could have just written in your silly little diary like a normal person, but noooo! You had to take the easy route, the magical route._ At this point in the conversation, Merlin would get something thrown at his head and be responsible for undoing whatever mess he had made. Oh how he missed that banter!

Merlin snapped himself out of his nostalgic thoughts to see a very baffled Harry still standing in the doorway. He walked awkwardly back to his desk and closed his book before it could reveal anything too important.

"Come in! I apologize, I was just writing some thoughts down. What can I help you with Harry?" Merlin said quickly as he poured out two glasses of tea out of a pot and offered Harry a plate of cookies.

Harry took one and accepted his mug of tea which, upon tasting, he decided was the best tea and cookie he had ever consumed. He took a seat in front of Professor Emrys's desk. "Professor," he started hesitantly, "A few weeks ago, before I was chosen to be a champion, you asked me a question." Harry cringed at the word champion, but he pressed forward with his inquiry.

"Why did you ask me if I had entered my name in the Goblet of Fire?

Merlin sat back in his chair, not quite knowing how to answer. Finally, he decided on the simple, and not in any way suspicious response: "I don't really know. Honestly Harry, in the recent history of this school, some unexplainable and completely ridiculous things have happened, and a great many of them happened to you. I have a bad feeling about this competition and was hoping you would be spared from having to compete."

"A bad feeling? What does that mean?"

"Do you know why they changed the age limit to seventeen?" Merlin asked. "It was because people were chosen to compete before they were ready. Before they had even mastered basic spells. The challenges are meant to test you in every way possible. Mentally, emotionally, physically, and magically. They are not easy to overcome, especially for someone who is not prepared."

"The last few weeks, I've had it in my mind that you put my name in the goblet. But I guess you just ruined that theory for me. Unfortunately, this still leaves me with more questions than answers. Story of my life right now." Harry looked down at his tea, which suddenly seemed less appetizing. Back to square one.

"Harry, I don't know who put your name in that goblet. But I do know that you are smart enough to not let your guard down. You can beat these challenges, I know it. Use the resources you have at your disposal. Hermione is probably the smartest student in this school, and Ron will come around eventually. He is your best mate after all."

Harry jerked his head up to look at his professor. "How did you know about Ron?"

"Oh, come on Harry. I may not be as hip and cool as you young folks, but this old man can still pick up on the drama in your teenage lives. You two haven't spoken or sat with each other in weeks. I assume he thinks you did it for the girls and the fame?"

Harry ignored the weird age comment and nodded.

"He's being stupid." Harry responded angrily. "I was with Neville down by the lake today, when Ron, Hermione and Ginny showed up. Apparently, Ron was trying to tell me that Hagrid was looking for me, but he would't even talk to me. He just sent Hermione to talk for him like an owl. I'm not even going to listen to him. He probably was just messing with me. I doubt Hagrid is even looking for me."

Merlin, knowing that Hagrid was indeed looking for Harry to show him what the first task was, thought this would be a good time to step in.

"Actually Harry, I think Hagrid is looking for you, and you might want to see what he wants." With a wink, Merlin stood up. He walked around the desk, took Harry's mug, and pulled him up out of the chair. "I think you had better head to dinner before you miss out on the chocolate pudding."

He ushered Harry out the door and once again gave Harry a bit of advice as he left. "Good luck with that dragon!"

* * *

Harry's visit with Professor Emrys confused him. What was he talking about before Harry had opened the door? What dragon was he warning Harry about? How could he know about any of this?

Unfortunately, his quest for answers only baffled Harry's mind. He decided to as Hermione what she thought about it all. Maybe she would help him with his potions essay while she was at it.

In the common room, Hermione sat with him by the fire. He told her every detail about what had happened. From the eavesdropping, to the final warning about a dragon.

Hermione stared at the fire for a few minutes. Taking it all in before asking "Did you hear anything about what he thinks is going to happen? The journal entry he was writing, if you've remembered correctly, sounds extremely important. Obviously he's keeping something from us. That much if easy to see if he's debating telling us the truth about something. Maybe we should do some investigating."

"My thoughts exactly," Harry said, "But that might have to wait until after the first task. I have a feeling, I need to focus on that and staying alive. Speaking of which. I need to go see Hagrid. Apparently it's important."

Hermione agreed. "I'll see if I can do some research on our mysterious professor in the meantime. Maybe knowing about his background will reveal something."

* * *

Harry, of course went to see Hagrid, but didn't necessarily like the outcome of that visit. Hagrid had Harry put on his invisibility cloak and follow him into the forest. What he discovered was not very encouraging.

Oh. That dragon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! Yes. I know it has been a month since I've updated this story. Finals, then Christmas, then New Years, and now I can finally enjoy my vacation and write. Thank you guys for all your support and the continuous reviews, favorites, and follows. Every time I get a notification, it makes my day ten times better. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Thanks for not giving up on me:)**

 **Lets see how Hermione does in her investigation.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own either of these wonderful stories or their characters.**

* * *

Hermione spent the days leading up to the fist task digging into Proffesor Emrys's past. Unfortunately for her, there was not much to dig into. All the records and history she could find about him just left her even more confused. Everything she found about him was vague and scarce. As if he hadn't even existed until becoming a teacher at Hogwarts. But despite her unfruitful efforts, Hermione kept searching.

Harry, in the meantime was flipping out. He was still in shock after learning about his upcoming fight with a dragon. He spent most of his time worrying and not doing his assigned schoolwork. And on top of all that, he was still curious about Proffesor Emrys. His suspicious journal entry, his apparent foreknowledge, and his overall shifty behavior made Harry even more convinced that something big was going on at his school. Something important.

Merlin also spent his days worrying. He was so used to being able to trust dragons. He was their kin and they responded to him with respect. But over the centuries, dragons became less like the wise, noble species they had been, and turned into nothing more than brutal, unintelligent monsters. Merlin had visited the cages multiple times. He had used what skill he had to calm them and communicate with them, but it was like trying to teach calculus to a baby. The dragons did not understand how a human could communicate with them, let alone why they should listen to said human.

After his many visits, only three of the dragons had listened to Merlin enough to promise to go easy on the unsuspecting and untrained students. The fourth dragon, that nasty Hungarian Horntail, could not be convinced. Whoever got stuck with that dragon was going to have a hell of a time in this first challenge.

* * *

On the morning of the first task, Hermione found herself in the library once again. She had exhausted her resources and was just aimlessly flipping through book after book, trying to find a reference to the name Emrys. She knew the name originated from the legend of King Arthur and Merlin, but for some reason, the surname was nowhere to be found.

Hermione closed the book she was looking through and walked back to the library stacks. She replaced the book on the shelf and started moving to the right, running her fingers along the spines of the books and reading the titles as she went. Harry's task was going to begin any minute, but she just felt like there was more for her to find in these pages.

She was about to gather her things and give up her search, but a book near the end of the bottom shelf caught her attention. The book was small, ancient, and had no title. Curious, she flipped through it briefly, starting from the back and working toward the front. The pages were each handwritten with almost illegible penmanship, but it wasn't the writing that interested her. Sporadically spread throughout the book, were dozens of beautiful unmoving pictures that featured a very familiar castle.

The book must have been about Hogwarts, but in each picture she noticed the castle looking younger and younger as she flipped toward the front of the book. Some photos had figures in them, others were just pictures of the castle and surrounding area. The very first picture in the book, however, was extremely interesting to Hermione. It featured four people whom she would recognized anywhere: The four founders of Hogwarts standing proudly in front of their magnificent school.

The significance of this picture was not lost on Hermione. She of all people could appreciate all the history involved with it, but her marveling was cut short when she came back to reality and realized that if she stayed any longer, she would miss the task. She quickly closed the book and tried to place it back in its home, but in her rush another photo, not printed in the book, but placed loosely in the pages, fell out onto the floor.

She reached down and picked up the ancient portrait which had just one solitary figure in it. He was tall and lanky, with really trashy looking clothes and dark messy hair. Hermione might have paid no attention to it at all, but this man's eyes made him look so familiar. He was the spitting image of her Defense against the Dark Arts teacher but with the clothes of a time period that had long since passed.

Hermione stared at the photo with growing intrigue. It looked much older than the book it had been residing in. She turned it over and found two simple words handwritten on the back: "The Founder."

With more questions than answers, Hermione grabbed the book, stuffed the picture in between the pages, and bolted toward the arena just in time for the competition to begin.

* * *

The First task turned out to be quite the adventure from start to finish. Merlin watched, holding his breath as each champion took on his or her dragon. Finally, it was Harry's turn and of course he had gotten stuck with the most dangerous Dragon out of the four.

Merlin was on standby, ready to assist Harry if anything were to go wrong. He forced himself to contain his magic as Harry struggled with the dragon, and even when the dragon broke loose, he kept his cool. The other three hadn't been this ferocious thanks to Merlin's efforts, but the Horntail was an unstoppable force.

But despite having the most dangerous match of all of the champions, Harry succeeded in defeating the dragon and retrieving his egg. Merlin breathed a sigh of relief as the task ended and the crowd dispersed. So far, he had succeeded in keeping the students at his precious school safe, and maintaining his secrets. So far so good. But how long was this luck going to last?

* * *

There was a lot of celebrating in the Gryffindor common room that night. Harry was praised for his victory, and his whole house forgot how angry they were at his suspicious champion status. Even Ron, who hadn't spoken to Harry in weeks, swallowed his pride and apologized to his friend.

In all the excitement and revelry, Hermione had nearly forgotten about the untitled book and the strange photograph she had found in the library. When the party died down and only the golden trio remained in the common room, Hermione decided to tell them what she had found.

"This book was tucked away on the bottom shelf in the library. I think it shows the progression of Hogwarts through the centuries. Look. The first photo is with the founders, and in each picture afterwards, the trees get taller and the castle gets older."

Harry took the book from Hermione, staring intently at the first picture.

"Hermione," Harry asked, "Does the castle look old already in this first photo, or is that just me?"

"You're right Harry. If you read into the history of the school, the castle wasn't built by the founders. It was an abandoned fortress from the middle ages that the founders came across. Who knows what it used to be before they transformed it into a school. It was most likely the home of some English duke or Lord, but yes, it was already old when the four founders discovered it."

"How is this bloody castle still standing then?" Ron asked with a wild look on his face.

Hermione gave him a disbelieving look and answered "The short answer Ron, is Magic. But these photos aren't the only interesting thing I found. Look at this. "Hermione pulled out the loose photo of Professor Emrys's doppelganger and handed it to Harry.

"Why is Professor Emrys in a book about the history of Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure that it's him, Harry. The photo looks older than the book it's in, and his clothes aren't even from this century. Even if they are from the same time period, that would mean the youngest professor here was somehow around when the founders created this school, which is impossible. But that isn't the strangest thing. Turn the picture over."

Harry flipped it, reading the words written there. "What does it mean?" He asked.

"I have no idea." Hermione answered.

The trio fell silent, pondering the new information presented to them.

"Well," Ron said, "It looks like we're not any closer to understanding Emrys than when we started."

Harry nodded.

"So what now?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! Look at that. I'm not dead after all. Sorry for not updating this story for like three months. I have this habit of just ignoring problems like writer's block instead of working them out, but I think I finally know where I want this story to go and have it back on track. If you guys like it, let me know! keep reviewing so I know if you even want me to continue. Thanks everyone!**

 **This chapter kind of rushes through the second task, but again, you know the story, I know the story, and I don't want to just copy down what the beautiful J.K. Rowling has already said. I want to insert my story line on top of hers. If it's confusing, let me know:)**

 **Now on to the story!**

 **I don't own Merlin or Harry Potter.**

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione had every intention of following Emrys around, investigating him, and if that didn't work, interrogating him directly. But schoolwork, the yule ball, and that stupid egg had a way of distracting them. As the second task rapidly approached, the trio was no closer to unraveling the mystery of their strange professor.

With two days left before the first task, they found themselves sitting in the common room late at night, elbows deep in homework.

"The answer is no, Ron. I will not write your essay for you." Hermione said, after a rant about productivity and making your own way in the world.

Ron sighed and began the essay he had yet to start on sedative potions for Snape. Who knew so many different potions could put people to sleep?

"You're awfully quiet Harry, is something the matter?" Hermione asked, turning her attention from Ron to Harry.

Harry was looking off into space, thinking about twenty different things at once. "I'm alright," he said. "I just wish I had some answers. I didn't want to be in this stupid tournament, but I am. And I have no idea what I'm doing. I haven't even been able to open a stupid egg! How am I supposed to match up to these other champions? I'm just a kid. A kid who still has homework in every class except Professor Emrys' class and I feel like I'm drowning in unanswered questions." Harry's voice had gotten louder and more stressed as he went on. Evidence that he obviously was _not_ alright.

"Hey, mate. It's ok. We can figure this out." Ron said putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Hermione gave them both a small smile and then once again steered them toward their homework.

* * *

The next day was no less stressful for the fourth years. They had the worst schedule that day, starting with an irritated Snape, who was unhappy with everyone's essay, and threatened to use the sedative potions on them. The only reprieve, as always, came with their defense against the arts class.

Merlin knew that Harry was struggling. He also knew that Harry and his friends had sort of acted differently around him lately. As if they knew something. But that was impossible. They were smart, but he had been careful. Except maybe that night Harry caught him writing in his journal.

"Well," Merlin thought to himself, "I guess I can help them indirectly without getting suspicious. A plan began to form in his head. He would need to find that other champion Cedric Digory, and someone from Harry's own house who was into plants. But never mind that now. Fourth years were gradually seating themselves, and it was time to start class.

"Good afternoon class," Merlin exclaimed happily. "Today I thought we would do something a bit more fun than reading out of a textbook or playing silly, but relevant games. Today, we are going to learn to defend ourselves without the use of magic. You never know when your wand will be blasted away from you, or someone enchants your magic against you. I for one have myself in very extreme circumstances when the use of magic was impossible, or would have gotten me killed. It's a surprise I survived to be honest. I am not, as you can tell, very intimidating."

Merlin gestured to his lanky form and the class giggled along with him. "Everyone stand up!" he shouted.

The class immediately stood and found the tables and chairs rushing away from them and planting themselves on the walls. Merlin continued, "Well, now that we have some decent space, I want you to all partner up." Harry and Ron immediately grabbed each other, leaving Hermione to look for the closest person for her partner. Of course it was Neville.

"This is what self-defense looks like to those who can't rely on magic"

Merlin spent the next hour teaching the muggle version of self-defense. He had the groups grab their partners, and then taught them how to escape. It was immediately one of the favorite classes they had had all year. Harry had Ron in a choke hold, but Ron maneuvered his way out of it. Ron grabbed Harry's shoulders, but Harry used the technique Emrys had shown them to break the contact.

All over the room, groups of fourth years were adequately able to break away from their attackers. Neville, however, was getting schooled by Hermione. It took him six tries to break her hold on him. And when it was her turn to escape, he could barely hold her.

At the end of the class, everyone, except Neville, had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. No one had gotten punched in the face, which was an achievement for this group. They were all a bit sweaty, but happy with the results.

Merlin instructed the tables to return to their original positions, and then had the students sit.

"Well that was exciting!" He said with a large goofy grin on his face. "I know this may be a little unorthodox for a defensive magic class, but I am a firm believer that anything is possible. You must be prepared to deal with any threat. Magical or not."

Harry pondered this. He couldn't wait to use his new moves on his cousin Dudley. It was days like these that he forgot he was supposed to be suspicious of his professor. After all, Emrys had known about the goblet of fire, he had known about the dragon, and Harry knew there was more he wasn't sharing, not to mention the things he heard outside the professor's office door. But he just seemed to know about the real world. It was like he had grown up an abused kid with nothing, like Harry had, but made something of himself. It was hard to be suspicious, when everything about professor Emrys demanded that you like him.

Harry broke from his thoughts just in time to hear Emrys dismiss the class, but ask for Neville to stay behind. Neville dejectedly walked to the front of the class, expecting that he had failed today's lesson. Harry felt sorry for the kid, but packed up his stuff and headed out to the next class with his friends.

* * *

Once the classroom had cleared out, Neville stood before the previously stated "unintimidating" professor, completely intimidated. He expected he was in trouble, but to his surprise, Emrys simply smiled at him and waved him over to sit in his office with him. "Neville, I've heard you have a way with plants. Professor sprout was bragging on you earlier."

Neville immediately stood up straighter and tried to hide the blush that crept up his face.

Merlin smiled again before standing and going to one of his many enormous bookshelves. He ran his hands along the spines and then pulled out a volume that he knew Neville would love.

"Here," he said, handing the book to Neville. "This is one of my favorites. I especially love the chapter on underwater plants. Why don't you borrow this? I'd love to know what you think."

Neville had gone from blushing to beaming. He snatched the book from his professor's hand, quickly thanking him and leaving the classroom, already thumbing through it.

Merlin smiled after him and kicked his feet up on his desk. "Now if Cedric passed on the info I told him too, and Neville is as smart as I know he is, Harry will be fine in that lake."

* * *

The second task rolled around far sooner than Harry wanted it too. Thanks to help from Cedric Digory, and a hint from Moaning Myrtle, Harry had finally figured out his egg. He and his friends had spent the next day looking for an answer with no luck. Finally, Neville came through. An underwater weed would save him.

Now harry found himself standing on a wooden tower in the middle of the lake, with neither Ron or Hermione by his side. It was freezing, and he was not looking forward to his hour swim. The trial started, her grew gills and fins, and began his search for whatever was stolen from him.

While searching the lake bottom and defending himself from demonic mermaids, Harry discovered something. There was an area below the lake that looked like it had once been above the water. It was a ruin of some sort. Like a small stone structure had sunk beneath the surface and was now lost forever. Harry thought he saw a soft golden light from behind the stone, but he couldn't be sure. Just then, a half shark, half man swam by him. Victor Krum. Harry remembered why he was there in the first place, and continued his search.

After an hour, the task was completed, Harry had saved, not only Ron, but the younger Delacour as well. Hermione and Ron were once again by his side, and they returned to the castle, hoping the third task would take place somewhere tropical and warm.

Under the lake however, the golden light slowly began to grow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! I know. I have been gone for a long time. I won't bore you with excuses. Just know that every random review over the past year (GASP) has been so amazing to receive. Every time I see that notification, I get really happy, and then feel really guilty. I'm so sorry I abandoned this story! I know I hate it when authors do that to me. I just hit a block, and did not know how to continue. But tonight I read through this story for the first time in a VERY long time, and inspiration hit me. This chapter is rough, I know, but I think it will help me get back on track and finish the story I started. No matter how long that might take. With that being said, feel free to leave a review telling me how it holds up to the rest of the story! Let me know what I can fix and what you would like to see happen to these amazing characters! I have a general outline and ending in mind, but I would love helpful hints on how to execute it. Thank you again for reading this story!**

 **By the way, I still don't own any of these characters...**

* * *

Tensions throughout the castle were high in the wake of the second task. Harry had somehow worked his way to the top, all because he had a moral compass. Meanwhile, Merlin was busy trying to determine what had caused the old religion to cry out the way it had that day at the lake. There was something different about the world. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it. Why now? After centuries of silence from that energy that used to be in every atom of the world, did he feel it so strongly?

Unfortunately, Merlin did not have time to ponder this burning question. The third task was fast approaching, and he still had no idea what to believe about Moody and Crouch. He knew they were up to something sinister, but he had yet to find out exactly what that was. The crescendo of events leading up to this third task demanded his full attention, but he still had to deal with classes, disapproving looks from Professor Snape, and a concerning feeling that he was missing something important.

Merlin sat in his office debating what his next move should be. Should he go to Dumbledore? Obviously, the headmaster would be a critical ally to have when this all went sideways. But how could he explain his knowledge without creating unnecessary suspicion? He had decided that his identity, as credible as it would make him, was for the time being, best kept as a secret. There was still a chance he could take care of things quietly, and go back to his life as a wandering hermit. A very, VERY small chance.

Merlin's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" Ron shouted. "Why don't we just go and ask him?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been debating what to do about the picture of what appeared to be their professor in an era long past. The book, and its contents had baffled and astonished them, but this particular picture was not telling them a thousand words. They still had so many unanswered questions, and no earthly idea where to find answers.

"We can't just go and ask him, Ron" Hermione retorted. "What if he's dangerous? He would find out we know his secret, whatever that might be. What if he's working for you-know-who? No. Confronting him would only make things worse. At least right now he doesn't suspect us of anything."

Harry sat quietly with his thoughts before answering, "I think Ron may be right Hermione. I know he may not be the most traditional man, but professor Emrys seems trustworthy and fair. He doesn't seem like a dark wizard to me. Mad, maybe. But not evil."

"Harry, I know you like him, but he knows too much to be uninvolved. He asked you about the Tri-Wizard Tournament before you were even chosen for it! He also knew about the dragons. This picture, wherever it came from, just deepens the puzzle. How can you trust him like that after knowing him for barely a few months?"

Harry didn't know how to respond. He could see both sides of the argument. Emrys could definitely be a dark wizard in disguise. He was quiet, secretive, unorthodox, and just plain different. But Harry knew in his heart that there was nothing to fear from this professor. He knew that the only way to find the underlying cause of this mystery was to confront it directly.

So that is exactly what they did.

* * *

The three fourth years found themselves knocking on their professor's door one afternoon, their hearts threatening to beat out of their chests. Hermione gripped the ancient book in her sweaty palms. She had reluctantly agreed to this endeavor, but still thought it was an insane move to make.

To her surprise, he opened the door after only a few knocks, looking a little worn out. As if he was running off of barely any sleep. She didn't know how right she was. Merlin's stressful thoughts and late-night sneaking about had ensured that he did not get nearly enough rest. His demeanor was unchanged however. He still greeted his students with a smile that stretched across his thin face.

"Hello, my friends! Care for some tea? I was just about to make myself a pot."

He ushered them into the office and busied himself with fixing the refreshment. The three curious students found themselves at a loss for words. They had agreed to do this decision, but had neglected to come up with a decent plan for executing it. Not knowing how to proceed, they sat themselves around the professor's enormous desk, and accepted tea and what looked like homemade brownies. Both were, of course, amazing.

Merlin, after serving his guests seated himself behind his desk and stared at his students over his own cup of tea. He took a swig, and returned the cup to its saucer. "So," he began, "What brings you all to my office this afternoon? Not help with homework I hope? I am hopeless at potions."

Harry was the first to speak up. He opted to take the most direct and obvious route to his point in the conversation.

"Professor, Hermione found something a bit odd in the library the other day. We thought you might like to see it." Harry gave an insistent nod at Hermione, who handed the ancient book over to the professor.

Merlin was instantly curious. Not only with the strange mood his pupils seemed to be in, but the worn looking volume Hermione held out to him. He took it, and began gently flipping through it. His eyes landed on the first page, and he immediately held his breath. Staring back at him from the deepest parts of his history, were his four old friends. Helga, Salazar, Rowena, and Godric. He froze, enraptured by the wave of memories that passed through his mind. He had started this school with the four of them. They had laughed, they had fought, and they had even cried together. They were his closest friends since the fall of Camelot. But just like the friends of his youth in that great kingdom, these friends had also aged and died, leaving Merlin alone in this world of solitude.

An incredible range of emotions flashed across his face. Merlin did not realize how long he sat frozen, staring at that photo. Harry, Hermione, and Ron exchanged uncomfortable glances. This meant something, but they could not fathom what.

Hermione broke Merlin out of his haze with a quiet question. "Professor, are you all right?"

Merlin looked up suddenly. His facial expression shifted from one of deep contemplation and sadness, to the happy grin that had been there previously. "Of course." He said. "I just haven't seen such a good likeness of the founders in a very long time. Where did you say you found this?" as he said this, he continued thumbing through the pages, his smile widening as he saw the growth and immortalization of the school he helped to create.

Hermione ignored his question, instead placing the incriminating portrait, that had been that cause of so much suspicion, on the table.

Merlin's face shifted once again. This time his expression was unreadable. Confusion, anger, sadness, and indifference, all at once. The three trembling Gryffindors held their breath.

Ron spoke up, voice cracking with nervousness. "Professor, this portrait seems ancient. The clothes even look like they came out of the pages of a very early history book, not that I would know very much about that. History is not my strongest subject. But that man. He looks just like you."

The silence resumed.

Finally, Harry could not take it. He leaned forward, looking straight into Merlin's eyes, and asked, "Professor, who is that, and why does he look like you?" He dramatically flipped the picture over to reveal the two words on the back. "And what the hell does this mean?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's part two of last night's wave of inspiration. I know it's torture to leave you guys hanging for so long and then throw out two chapters in less than 24 hours. I am anything but consistent. I just hope you like the story enough to forgive me. Anyway, let me know what you think! Any criticism is welcome. Reviews make my day!**

 **Still not mine by the way...**

* * *

All the cards were on the table. Harry had asked the questions he had been volleying back and forth in his mind for so long. Now all he could do was let his professor explain what exactly was going on. Of course, this was maybe not the best time to busy his mind with such worries, with the third task right around the corner. Harry still had no idea what it was or how he would stay alive through it. This was probably not the best time to be creating potential enemies. Nevertheless, here he sat, asking his questions.

The professor's response was, unfortunately, not one that the trio was expecting. He composed himself quite suddenly, and answered in his "teacher voice." The students recognized this from when he finally, and roundaboutly finished with his lessons. There was always a point that needed to be explained in a very direct and educational manner. That way of talking was how he answered them.

"It was long believed, that the four founders we have all learned about, once had help. They were four extremely powerful wizards, but some say that even they had trouble turning this old rotting castle into the expanded, magically protected school it is today. The rumors are endless. Some think that it's all a lie. A story made up to make the four founders seem a little less menacing and powerful. But there are others, who believe that he was very real, and very powerful. This castle, as this book depicts, was not built by the four. It already existed for centuries before they found it and transformed it into what it is today. Some think that the mysterious fifth founder was some sort of caretaker of the property. They believe he allowed the founders to help take care of the land and buildings, and eventually agreed that turning the place into a school for young witches and wizards would be far more beneficial than letting the place rot away."

Merlin paused to take a drink of his tea, and then continued after a pause.

"Because there is no concrete record of his having existed at all however, the fifth founder is not talked about in the wizarding community, nor is he taught about in any sort of schooling. The few people who believe in his existence came across the knowledge in similar ways as the three of you. Old records and texts sometimes have hints or clues that point to a fifth member of the historical group."

Hermione had listened to this explanation with wide eyes and enraptured interest. If this was true, her whole foundation of history would be fractured. A fifth founder? How in the world could that be? "Are you saying that there may be a substantial gap in the history of Hogwarts?" she asked. "Does that mean there could be a fifth house that students could be in? A fifth table in the great hall? That seems like a vital piece of information. Why in the world would no one care to mention all of this to us?"

She was getting worked up, and a little bit embarrassed. If there was a so called "Fifth founder" she could not believe that no one had ever explained that to her.

Ron interrupted her thoughts by exclaiming "That can't possibly be true! And if it is, that still doesn't explain why you look just like him."

Merlin glanced at him, before deciding how best to cover up the truth. He did not like lying to these students. He considered himself a fair and kind person, and he wanted the three of them on his side, if anything were to dramatically change over the next few weeks. "Ron, there are over 6 billion people on this planet as of right now. Just imagine how many have lived since the time of the founding of Hogwarts. Now, Emrys is a very old name. It is possible that someone found a picture of a relation of mine and decided that it belonged to this book. It is also very possible that some random man who seemed to look like me, lived all those years ago, and somehow convinced people of this crazy story. I can't tell you what to believe. I can only tell you the facts and rumors that I am knowledgeable about. I have heard that the fifth founder was tall, with dark hair, but I have never seen this picture, nor have I ever met anyone who knew of its existence."

"But he's wearing basically the same clothes that you do every single day!" Ron cried. "How do you explain that?"

"Very simply." Merlin responded calmly. "I like red and blue. I like scarves. There are lots of people who like the same. Are you going to go around assuming they are that man in the picture?"

That shut Ron's mouth quickly.

Harry had been silent. Taking in everything that Professor Emrys had said. He didn't know what to think. Had his whole education been censored to cut this fifth founder out of the picture, or was this a big mistake? The professor did look exactly like the man in the portrait, but he also had some pretty convincing arguments against that. Harry's overall opinion, however, was that he was right in believing in His professor. Even if he was somehow related to the man in the picture, there was no reason to lie about it, and the information they had been given did not connect him to anything sinister at all. Voldemort was a problem of the present. The picture of the founder was a problem of the past.

"Professor," he started, "I'm sorry that we disturbed you with all of this. To tell you the truth, we have had a lot of strange things happen to us over the years. Finding this picture instantly put us on edge. We got suspicious. Can you tell us anything more about it? Anything at all?"

Merlin smiled at Harry, knowing he had solidified his alliance with him. "I don't know anything for sure Harry, but I know that there are always secrets hidden in history. Maybe this is one of them. You three must decide what you want to believe. I cannot make up your mind for you. What I can do, is help you out with some more pressing matters."

Having said this, Merlin leaned forward across his desk and lowered his voice. "Harry, you and I know that something is going on with this third task. You need to be ready, whatever happens. You still have time to practice, to prepare yourself for what is about to happen."

His demeanor changed back to his usual sunny grin as quickly as it had darkened. "Well, students! I have some more lessons to prepare for. If you would kindly close the door on your way out, I would be extremely grateful." He sprang from his chair and ushered them out the door before they had a chance to say anything.

* * *

Ron, Hermione, and Harry had no idea what to think. The questions they had hoped to get answered were avoided, and replaced with new ones. Where was the truth? Where did that picture come from, and what did Professor Emrys have to do with the final task? Harry's complete trust in the man did not extend to his two friends. They were just as suspicious as ever. But Harry felt like he had gained a sense of calm about the third task. He had the full support and encouragement of one of the best men he had ever known. Even if things went sideways, he had this crazy feeling that his professor would be able to handle it all. He didn't look like much on the outside, but underneath, there was so much to his teacher. Harry just hoped he would be around to see just what that was.

* * *

Merlin had hurried the trio out as quickly as he possibly could. He had so much to do without this secret revealing picture to worry about. He applauded himself for covering the truth up smoothly, but he knew he hadn't completely convinced them. What would happen when the third task rolled around? Would he tell them? Would they Believe him? Explaining the truth would be so much harder than having to cover it up.

Merlin walked back over to his desk. The book and portrait were still on his desk, drawing his gaze. He picked the first up, still turned to the page depicting his old friends. It had been so long since he had been so connected to anyone. The four of them were his first real allies after Camelot had faded. After they were gone, he hadn't felt the need to reenter the world. Until now.

There was so much to do before the third task, but all Merlin could do was glance from the picture of his friends, to the likeness of himself. Nostalgia compelled him to open the locked drawer in the bottom of his desk. It had been secured with the oldest spells he could remember. In the drawer lay his most prized possessions. He flicked his hand toward the door, sealing it with a thought. Then he slowly drew the items out one by one.

First was his old magic book from Gaius. That stupid thing had gotten him into and out of so many horrible situations in the past. Now it was barely legible. The words were worn and faded. Next was a very familiar ring. He had been smacked in the head with it and several other projectiles so many times over the years, but he would give anything to see its owner again.

The last things Merlin pulled out were two pieces of very worn out cloth. The once brilliant red faded from years of being carried around from one temporary home to another. He laid the pieces next to one another with a heavy heart. His old life and memories flooded back to him. He was overwhelmed with sorrow and mourning. It had been so many years, but the pain still felt like a fresh wound. These two pieces of cloth signified his greatest failure.

One was his old neckerchief, the other, the only remaining piece of his king's cloak.


End file.
